Board of Stewards

David Presher

Chair of The Orchard Foundation Board of Stewards

David has previously served as the VP for Development at The Christian and Missionary Alliance and was a District Superintendent for nine years. He also served on the Nyack College Board and the Christian Publications Board. He joined Orchard’s Board of Stewards in 2003 as the liaison from The Christian and Missionary Alliance, and became an elected Board member in 2006. He is currently serving as senior pastor of Centerville Community Church in Ohio.

Lawrence L. McCooey

Larry McCooey serves as President of The Orchard Foundation and The Alliance Development Fund (ADF). He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Personal Financial Specialist (PFS), Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), and holds a Series 66 license. Larry has nearly 35 years of financial industry experience and has served more than 25 years on The Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA), The Orchard Foundation and ADF Investment Committees. He previously led the C&MA Finance Division as vice president and treasurer. He has also served on the Finance Committee and as treasurer on the Board of Directors for Town and Country Manor for 14 years, which included overseeing their portfolio. Larry has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of New York at Buffalo as well as post-graduate studies in accounting.

Howard Atkinson

Howard joined the Board of Stewards in July of 2007. He is a Certified Public Accountant and has been an audit partner with Ernst & Young, working in Connecticut, Puerto Rico and New Hampshire. He has been the Chief Auditor for First NH Banks and Chittenden Corporation. Presently, Howard is Executive Vice President of the Risk Management Division for NBT Bancorp Inc. in Norwich, NY.

Ken Baldes

Ken joined The Christian & Missionary Alliance as VP for Operations/Treasurer and COO in October 2005. At the same time he became a steward on the Board of The Orchard Foundation. He is a member of the Investment Committee for The Orchard Foundation, The Alliance Development Fund, and the C&MA Health and Retirement Plan Assets. He also has had personal investment experience for over 20 years with his 401(k), IRA and 403(b) accounts.

Nancy Cook

Nancy became a member of Orchard’s Board of Stewards in 2002. As a Certified Financial Planning practitioner, she brings to the Board 26 years of experience in the Investment and Financial Services industry. Nancy is a Senior Vice President and Investment Officer with Wells Fargo Advisors, formerly A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., where she focuses on retirement asset management and generational wealth transfer. She served as Planned Giving chair and is on the Finance Committee for Florida Hospital in Zephyrhills.

Jim Good

Jim became a member of Orchard’s Board of Stewards in 2005. He currently works in Business Development with Hobart Services in Troy, OH. He is also an Executive in Residence at the University of Dayton where he works with M.B.A. students in strategic studies and teaches as an adjunct faculty member in the Business School of Indiana Wesleyan University. Prior to this Jim enjoyed more than 28 years with NCR Corporation fulfilling a variety of management roles both here in the U.S. and abroad.

Linda Gould

Linda has been on the Board of Stewards since March 2011. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Furman University, her Juris Doctor at the University of Florida, and is a member of the Colorado Bar and Florida Bar. Linda is an attorney in Colorado Springs. Her law practice includes Real Estate, Business Planning, Probate, Estate Planning, and Patent and Trademark Prosecution. She is trained by Peacemaker Ministries to provide counsel and mediation in conflict situations that arise in the church body. Linda and her husband Bob are members of First Evangelical Free Church of Colorado Springs, where they serve on the marriage mentoring team.

Myriam Rodriguez De Ayala

Myriam Rodriguez De Ayala joined Orchard’s Board of Stewards in June 2015. For the past 28 years, Myriam and her husband, Harry, have operated their own financial services company in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico where they assist others with financial education, investments, stewardship goals and other financial services. Myriam is also very involved in their local Alliance church, Alianza Christiana y Misionera de Magnolia, where she serves as director of Christian education, administrator and treasurer of the “Dando Amor al Caido” ministry, a member of the financial board and director of the summer bible school. She has a bachelor’s degree in math and science and a master’s degree in missions.

Dennis Whalen

Dennis joined The Orchard Foundation in March 2007 as VP for Development, and then assumed the same role for The Christian and Missionary Alliance. Prior to these positions, Dennis served as the VP of Church Relations for World Relief. He has been involved with the Nyack College Alumni Board and the Chapel Pointe Board of Directors — focusing on public relations and funding.